1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a detachable, gap-free sealing system between stationary structural parts, in particular, an aseptic sealing system for sealing a product chamber, with at least one first structural part and a second structural part, wherein both structural parts are connected to one another, and with at least one sealing element inserted between the first structural part and the second structural part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Connections with seals are known in many variations as flat packing or shaped seals wherein the sealing flanges are provided with a smooth working ledge, with tongue and groove, or with turned grooves of different cross-section. The sealing elements are comprised of different materials such as wood pulp, paper, rubber, plastic materials, or metals such as soft copper, aluminum or soft iron. A sealing system for a gap-free seal between stationary structural parts as a pipe flange connection can be taken from DIN (German Industrial Standard) 11864, part 2. Two embodiments of an aseptic flange connection with an O-ring and a shaped seal as the sealing element can be taken from this document. The flanges are provided with almost semi-circular or rectangular turned grooves positioned closely below the flange surfaces facing the product chamber. In order for the sealing elements to be inserted into a flange part, the flanges are provided with tongues which are precision-fitted into grooves of the respective second flange part. The turned grooves in which the sealing elements are anchored, are formed as recesses on the product chamber side of the flange. This results in a gap oriented toward the product chamber which is closed toward the product chamber by the yielding of the sealing element. The illustrated sealing systems require very high. precision of the flanges, in particular, when shaped seals are to be used. The shaped seals themselves must be very precisely dimensioned. Moreover, high initial compression forces result in these embodiments of the flanges.
It is an object of the invention to provide a sealing system for a gap-free seal between stationary structural parts, in particular, an aseptic sealing system, for sealing a product chamber, which is suitable for sealing any desired components of containers and pipelines.
This object is solved according to the invention in that the two structural parts are connected by a flange-like connection and the sealing element provides a gap-free arrangement between the first structural part and the second structural part.
In the context of the present invention it is provided to realize an aseptic, gap-free sealing system which is suitable for a gap-free connection of pipes as well as for connecting structural apparatus parts such as, for example, a bottom of a single-layer filter with its wall. The gap-free, aseptic sealing system should be useable independent of the angle at which the connected structural apparatus parts, container structural parts, or pipe structural parts are positioned relative to one another, and should not have any dead spaces from which the product cannot be cleaned in a simple way. According to the invention, this is achieved by the arrangement of the sealing element closer to the flange surfaces that comes into contact with the product. The turned groove receiving the sealing element in the structural flange part is designed such that a recess is produced in one structural part by turning and a projection is produced in the other structural part by turning. When the two structural parts are connected to one another, without the sealing element being present, a deliberately large gap results in the direction of the product chamber which is closed only after insertion of the sealing element. In this way, it is ensured that, when the structural parts are assembled and the sealing element is inserted, there is no gap remaining between the structural parts at the side of the product chamber. In this way, aseptic conditions, for example, also at the right-angle connecting location of sidewall and bottom of a single-layer filter are possible because this area can be sealed effectively by the sealing element relative to the hollow space for guiding or containing the product.